Mechanism for cutting and applying tape to filled bags



March 4, 1941. H. A. BAUER 2,234,017

MECHANISM FOR CUTTING AND APPLYING TAPE T0 FILLED BAGS Filed Jan. 24, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 4, 1941. BAUER 2,234,017

MECHANISM FOR CUTTING AND APPLYING TAPE TO FILLED BAGS Filed Jan. 24, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 .llllliik mill H. A. BAUER Mamb 4, I941.

MECHANISM FOR CUTTING AND APPLYING TAPE TO FILLED BAGS Filed Jan. 24, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 I HHh,

H. A. BAUER March 4, 1941..

MECHANISM FOR CUTTING AND APPLYING TAPE TO FILLED BAGS Filed Jan. 24, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 z E' 57F HAM:- fl. 3405,49.

il atentezd Mar. 4, H41

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MECHANISM FOR CUTTING AND APPLYING TAPE T0 FILLED BAGS Hans A. Bauer, Chicago, Ill., assignor to B. F.

Gump 00., Chicago, 11]., a corporation of Illinois Application January 24, 1938, Serial No. 186,497

13 Claims.

0 top and extended a short distance down the sides or ends of the bag.

In the present instance, the tape is preferably applied across the top of the bag with its ends extended beyond the bag whereby the same may be pressed upon the top of the bag and against the ends of the bag to seal the bag. It will, however, be understood that the apparatus can also be used for applying the tape where it is only glued to the top of the bag.

In using a narrow tape of proper width for such a purpose, a reel or roll of tape is soon exhausted and it is necessary to stop the machine and put a fresh roll of tape in place. This results in the loss of time and work done.

It is an object of this invention to overcome the loss of time and work done that resulted from prior practice. To this end, the apparatus and method contemplates using a roll of tape having a width that is equal to the desired length of tape and shearing a narrow strip from the roll, moistening the same, picking it up and conveying it to the top of the filled bag and pressing it thereon.

It is a further object in connection with this invention, to provide a simple apparatus that is exceedingly efficient and involves a. simple method for performing the purpose sought to be accomplished.

The invention comprises the novel apparatus and method hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out and defined in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred form of this invention and in which similar reference numerals refer to similar features in the diiferent views:

Fig. l is an elevational view of an apparatus involving this invention.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same with parts omitted.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially upon the line III-III of Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged part sectional and part elevational view taken substantially upon the line IV-IV of Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a filled bag with its neck portion folded and the tape applied.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional view taken sub-' I stantially upon the line VI-VI of Fig. 4 looking in the direction of the arrows.

According to this invention, a broad roll of tape is intermittently advanced and a narrow strip is out transversely from the forward edge 10 for automatically dropping by gravity upon a moistening pad. The narrow strip is then gently pressed against the moistening pad so that the glue on the strip will be sufficiently moistened for gluing purposes. The moistened strip isthen l5 picked up by suction means and conveyed over and upon the folded neck portion of the bag and sufficiently pressed down so that it will adhere to the bag.

In referring to the drawings, it will be 011- 20 served that the operating mechanism of the apparatus is mounted upon a base i from which a suitable stanchion 2 rises that supports a reel 3 for a roll of gummed tape T. From the reel 3, the tape descends and passes between an upper series of feed rolls 4 and a lower series of feed rolls'fi.

The feed rolls 4, which are three in number, are secured upon a shaft 6 which is journalled in bearing brackets t and 9 which are associated with a casting m on the base I. The shaft 5 carries a ratchet wheel ll adjacent the bracket 9 whereby the shaft 6 may be intermittently operated as will later more fully appear.

The rolls 5 which are also three in number are mounted upon a shaft l2 which is journalled in adjustable bearing brackets 63 (Fig.3) pivoted to an upstanding part of the casting Ill as indicated at 83, and having an adjustable screw H extending through an arm I311. thereon for engaging the base portion of the-casting l0. By adjusting the screw M the shaft l2 can be raised or lowered to vary the gripping space between the feed rollers.

From the feed rollers 4 and 5, the gummed supporting block it which is slidably supported upon posts 29 rising from the upper guide plate l6. Between the reciprocable block i9 and the plate i5 and surrounding the posts are coiled springs 2| which have a tendency to elevate the reciprocable block i9 and shear plate i8 to inoperative position.

Mechanism has been provided for lowering the shear plate l9 for performing a cutting operation. To this end, a shaft 22 is iournalled in the upper ends of the brackets 3 and this shaft has secured thereon a pair of arms 23 through which adjustable bolts 24 extend for engaging the reciprocable block l3. These bolts 24 can be adjusted to vary the effective stroke of thearrns 23 by means of the nuts 25.

The shaft 22 is adapted to be actuated in a clockwise direction at the proper time by means of a. crank arm 23 secured thereto at one end. The rear end of the arm 29 carries a roller 21 that is in engagement with a cam 28 secured upon the shaft 29 which is journalled in the stanchion 2 and a bearing bracket 30 extending upwardly from the .base I. -'I'he cam 28 is provided with a hump 28a which will engage the roller 21 for actuating the crank arm 26 and rocking shaft 22 in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 1 for forcing arms 23 downwardly for actuating the shear plate l9 for severing a strip of tape from the roll. I

As soon as a strip of tape is severed as above set forth, it drops upon a moistening pad 3i which may consist of any suitable material confined in a rectangular receptacle 32 to which moisture or water is supplied from an adjacentwater holding receptacle 33, the inner wall 33a. of which serves as a partition between the water receptacle and the pad receptacle. This partition wall is provided with apertures 34 as indicated in Fig. 3 for the passage of water to the pad 3|.

Mechanism has been provided for pressing the severed strip of tape against the pad for moistening the gum or glue thereon and then picking it up and conveying it to the top of a bag. While this mechanism may assume various forms, a preferred form has been illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 4 and will now be set forth.

Adjacent one end of the moistening pad, there is an upstanding casting 35 having a bearing 36 in which a shaft 31 is journalled. A crank arm 33 secured upon one end ofthe shaft is connected to an operatingpltman 39 for rocking shaft 31. A gear segment 40 is secured upon the other. end of the shaft 31 and this gear segment meshes with a gear 4| mounted upon a shaft 42' journalled in a bearing 35a on .the casting 35. The gear 4| meshes with an idler gear 43 iournalled upon the casting 35 below the gear 4|. Theidler gear 43 meshes with a lower gear 44 secured upon a shaft 45 iournalled in a bearing 45 on the casting 35. I The shafts 42 and 45 are in vertical alin'eme'nt and crank arms 41 are secured upon the shafts 42 and 45,-one upon each shaft. The outer ends of the cranks 41 are iournalled upon spaced shafts 43 which are secured in bearings 49 which attached to the top thereof by means of a short pipe 54. The suctionhose is-adapted to be conwhich is adjustably clamped in said slot, is connected to any conventional air pump or the like for providing a suction in the presser foot. The bottom of the presser foot 52 is provided with a plurality of apertures 55 (Fig. 6) for creating a suction effect upon the strip of severed tape as 5 will later more fully appear.

The suction presser foot 52 is adapted to be moved back and forth between the moistening pad and the bag which is represented by the reference 56 as positioned upon a runway 56a. To this end, the aforementioned pitman 39 is pivotally connected at its rear end to an upstanding crank arm 51 which carries a roller 58 at an intermediate point that is in engagement with a cam 59 secured upon shaft 29. The lower end of the crank arm 51 is pivoted to a casting 50 which is provided with a bearing for receiving a pivot stud 6| upon which the crank arm is pivoted. A coil spring 62 is wound around the pivot pin 5| with one end 52:: hooked over the edge of the crank arm 51 and the other end 52?) extending longitudinally in contact with the base I. The normal tendency of the spring 52 is to force the crank arm 51 to the right to actuate the suction presser foot in an upward and rearward; direction.

' During the actuation of the presser foot in a direction toward the bag 55, the feed rolls 4 and 5 are rotated for advancing the tape and shearing a strip therefromsuch as shown at 63 in Fig.

a 5. To this end, a crank arm 54 is'pivoted upon the upper roller shaft 5. The upper end of the crank arm is provided with a slot 65. A bolt 66,

nected to the forward end of a pitman 61 which 35 is pivotally connected at its rear end to the crank arm 51.

Thecrank arm 64 carries a pawl 68 (Fig. 3) that engages the ratchet wheel II when the pit-' man 51 is actuated toward the left in a rearward direction and that rides idly over the ratchetwheel II when the pitman moves to the right or in a forward direction.

In theposition of the parts as shown in full lines in the drawings, the tape has already been advanced with a portionprojecting beyond the shear plates as'shown in Figs, 1 and 3.. The cam 59 is shown in full lines with its greatest radius engaging the roller 58. As'the cam 59 rotates from this position through the operation of shaft 29, the radius acting against roller '58 will gradually decrease and bring spring 52into action for moving crank arm. 51 and the parts connected thereto in a forward direction or to the right.

As the pitman 39 is moved forwardly, the gear segment 49 will cause the gears 4|, 43 and 44 to rotate. The gears 4| and 44 will rotate in an anti-clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 4 and will rotate the shafts 42 and 45 to which they are secured in the same direction. This rotation of the shafts 42 and 45 will cause the crank arms 41 and the presser foot'52 to rotate through arcs of substantially as shownin dotted lines in Fig. 4. 55

However, before the suction; presser foot is rotated 180 in a. rearward direction, the cam 28 engages the roller 21 for actuating the arm 26 and. rocking shaft 22' and-arms 23 thereon in a clockwise direction for actuating the shear plate 0 i8 for severing the advanced tape. The severed strip of tape drops by gravity-upon the moisten-. ing pad.

When the suction presser foot 52 and the parts associated therewith have-been rotated substan- T5 strip of tape to adhere to the bottom of the presser foot.

When the severed strip of tape is under suction, the cam 59 will begin to engage roller 58 and move the pitman 39 in a rearward direction causing a reverse rotation of gears 4|, l3 and 44 with the result that shafts l2 and 45 will now be rotated in a clockwise direction for causing the crank arms 41 and presser foot 52 with the severed strip of tape adhering thereto to move over a bag and descend and press the strip of tape upon the fold of the bag as shown in Fig. 1.

During the rearward movement of thecrank arm 51, the pitman 61 will actuate the crank arm 64 for again advancing the tape to the position shown in Fig. 3 for a repetition of the operation just described.

From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that a simple novel apparatus and method has been provided for shearing narrow strips of tape transversely from a coil of tape on a reel, properly moistening the gum or glue thereon, then transporting the same and pressing the same upon the folded neck portion of a filled bag.

It is characteristic of this invention that the severed strip of tape is caused to be moistened and transported over the top of the bag and pressed thereon by a single member which moves in an arc of substantially 180.

While the strip of tape 63 is shown as pressed directly upon the fold of .the bag, the position of the bag could be varied so that the strip 63 would be pressed partly upon the fold and partly upon the adjacent bag top of the bag to seal the fold. In the latter vent a narrower reel of tape having a width substantially equal to the eudwise width of the bag could be used.

The foregoing described apparatus is adapted to constitute one of the units of bagclosing machine in which an intermittently operating conveyor is used to advance the bags in timed relation to the operation of the parts.

I am aware that numerous changes may be made in the apparatus and method involved, so I do not propose limiting the patent granted thereon otherwise than necessitated by the prior art.

I claim as my invention:

1. In an apparatus of the class described, mechanism for feeding a web of gummed tape, means for severing a strip of tape from said web, a

' moistening pad upon which the severed strip of tape descends, a suctionpresser foot, means for moving said presser foot in an are for contacting said severed strip and pressing the same against said moistening pad, and causing the same to adhere to said presser foot, and means for moving said presser foot in the same arcua-te path in the opposite direction and applying said severed strip to a bag.

2. In an apparatus of the class described, means for advancing a web of gummed tape having a width corresponding to the length of strip desired, means for transversely shearing a narrow strip from said tape, a moistening pad beneath said means for receiving the sheared strip, and a member movable in an arc from a predetermined position for pressing said strip upon said pad and then picking it up and conveying it in the same arcuate path to said predetermined position for applying the same to I. bag.

3. In an apparatus. of the class described, a

moistening pad, a bag runway, means for severing a strip of tape for dropping upon said pad, a suction presser foot, means for supporting said presser foot for movement between said moistening pad and bag runway for conveying the severed tape from said pad to said bag runway and applying the same upon a bag.

4. In an apparatus of the class described, a moistening pad for moistening strips of tape, a bag runway spaced from said pad, a suction presser foot, means for mounting said presser foot for movement in an arcuate path between said pad and runway and means for actuating said presser foot.

5. In an apparatus for applying gummed tape to a bag, a moistening pad, means for advancing a web of tape over said pad, means for shearing a strip of tape from said web for descent upon said pad, a runway for the bag, a presser foot, means for mounting said presser foot for movement in an arcuate path between said pad and runway for picking up a strip of tape from said pad and conveying it to said runway and pressing it upon a bag, and means for operating said presser foot.

6. In an apparatus for applying sealing tape to bags, a moistening pad, means for advancing a strip of tape over said pad, a bag runway spaced from said pad, a presser foot, means for mounting said presser foot for movement in an are between said pad and runway, means for moving said presser foot from said runway to said 7. In an apparatus for applyin gummed tape to bags, a reel of tape having a width equal to the length of tape desired, a moistening pad, means for advancing the forward portion of said tape over said pad, means for transversely shearing a strip from said tape for descent upon said pad, a suction presser foot, and means for mov- 5o ing said presser foot down upon said strip for moistening said strip and causing the same to adhere to said presser foot. and means for elevating and moving said presser foot for applying sai strip to a bag.

1 8. The method of sealing a filled container,

which consists in transversely severing a strip of tape from a gummed tape web'having a width corresponding to the desired length of tape,

allowing the severed strip to drop to a moistening position and subjecting its gummed side to moisture, and thereafter moving the moistened strip to the container and applying it thereto under pressure with its gummed side down.

9. Apparatus for sealing containers comprising moistening means, a container runway, means for successively supplying and subjecting tape sealing strips to said moistening means, and means including a member actuated in timed relation to said second means for picking up strips as they are moistened and applying them under pressure to a container in said runway.

10. Apparatus for sealing containers comprising a container runway, means for successively feeding gummed tape stripsto a position adjameans including a presser foot operablein timed relation to I the strip moistening operation for successively picking up and carrying the moistened strips to the runway and applying them to the containers under pressure.

' 11. In apparatus for applying a sealing tape to containers, a container runway, means for advancing aweb of tape having a width equal to the desired length of tape and the container, moistening means, mechanism for severing a strip from the forward end of the web and delivering it to said moistening means, and means actuated in timed relation to said mechanism including a member for picking up and transporting each severed piece of moistened tape from said moistening means to the runway and applying it to a container therein under pressure.

12. The method of sealing a filled container 1 having a'folded open end portion, which consists in transversely severing a strip of tape from a gummed tape web having a width corresponding to the desired length of tape, allowing the severed cent said runway, means for subjecting the gummed sides of the strips to moisture, and

strip to drop with its gummed surface downwardly onto a moistened surface, thereafter pneumatically applying pressure against one surface of the strip to retain the strip in engagement with an element having a strip-engaging surface, movto said mechanism including a presser suction member for picking up the moistened strip, conveying it away from the moistening means and applying it to said container with its gummed portion engaging the folded portion of the container.

HANS A. BAUER. 

